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A few days later, Elisa came home from work to find one of the last people she wanted to see on her doorstep.

“Derek, you need to go,” she said, standing by her car with her arms crossed.

“Look, I wanted to apologize for what I did, and I’d love it if you gave me a second chance,” he said.

“Are you high? No. Leave,” Elisa said, as Derek walked to her.

“Please! I fucked up, and I’m sorry.”

“You’re only sorry because you’re sick of my mother, and I’m happy with someone else,” she replied.

Derek grabbed her waist.

“Come on, I know he doesn’t do it like I do,” he said.

Elisa pushed him away.

“Don’t fucking touch me,” she warned him.

“Did you seriously just push me?” he asked.

“Yeah, I did-what the fuck!?” she said as he reached out and slapped her. She fell to the ground, holding her mouth.

“No woman is going to fucking put their hands on me,” he spat.

She got up and punched him in the nuts. She then called the police as he groaned on the ground, holding his nuts in pain.

“Hey, yeah, I’ve been attacked by a trespasser, and you may need to send an ambulance, he’s roughed up pretty badly.”

______________


When the cops left with Derek in the back, Elisa called Rochelle to tell her what happened.

“Shit, Mom is going to flip,” Rochelle said.

“I don’t give a shit about her right now,” Elisa grumbled as she looked in the mirror at her face. “He really fucked up my face, I have to think of a way to explain this shit to Nick.”

“You haven’t called him yet? He should have been the first person you called, Leese!”

“He’s in the studio with the guys, I don’t want him to worry.”

“Well, tell him the truth when he asks. Derek’s in jail for the night at least so Nick couldn’t fuck him up if he wanted to, and I think he’s going to want to.”

“Okay. Get back to work, and give Lee Lee a kiss for me.”

“Will do.”

_________________________________

Nick came to her house a few hours later, and his eyes widened when he saw the bruise on her face.

“What the fuck happened?” he asked, taking her face to get a closer look. She sighed and turned away.

“My asshole ex came by, wanting me back. He grabbed me, I pushed him away. He slapped me, I punched him in the nuts and called the cops. I’m okay,” she explained, going back to the stove and stirring the spaghetti sauce.

“Why didn’t you call me?” he asked, narrowing his eyes at her.

“What could you have done? You were busy, I could handle it. And I did,” Elisa said, shrugging.

Nick was angry, but not at her. He went into her freezer and got an ice pack.

“Hey, let me do that, and you press this to your cheek. It’ll help with the swelling,” he said softly, taking the ladle from Elisa and handed her the ice pack. Sighing, she listened. She sat at the kitchen table and wrote in her journal as she pressed the pack to her cheek.

He put a plate of spaghetti in front of her when he was done.

“Thanks,” she said softly, smiling up at him.

He smiled back, and, softly kissed her bruised cheek. He took the ice pack and put it back in the freezer, and then he sat down and ate with her.

____________________

Elisa and Nick cleaned up the kitchen and sat on her couch to watch a movie.

“You’ve been quiet,” she said softly.

“I’m pissed. Not at you. At him. I really want to kill him for putting his hands on you,” Nick admitted. “I really wish you had told me before I showed up here.”

Elisa touched his face.

“I’m okay, baby. I promise.Yeah, I should have called you, and I’m sorry. But I didn’t want you to get in trouble with the law. I’m sure the guys wouldn’t want you in prison for beating a piece of shit into the ground.”

Nick pressed his forehead to hers.

“I just don’t like the idea of someone hurting you.”

Elisa straddled him on the couch and turned the TV off.

“Let me tell you something, Nick Carter, and listen closely, because I’m only saying this once. He may have slapped me but he did not hurt me. I refuse to let them hurt me anymore. I swear. The only one who has the power to hurt me now, is you. And I don’t think you will,” she said, staring into his eyes. She kissed him tenderly.

Nick shook his head.

“I won’t hurt you. I promise,” he said, kissing her back.

His lips moved to her neck and she sighed.

“You want to make me feel better?” she asked.

“Mhm,” he murmured.

“Then make love to me, Nick,” she whispered as he took her shirt off.

Nick picked her up and carried her to her room.

“Consider it done,” he said, placing her on the bed.

____________________________

Elisa moaned as he pushed into her deeper and deeper. He was taking his time with her tonight, carressing her body and whispering in her ear. He’d occasionally kiss her bruised cheek with so much tenderness that it brought tears to Elisa’s eyes.

His eyes were so intense tonight, and he was focused on loving her like he’d never done before.

“I love you so much,” he said, kissing her softly.

“I love you, too,” she moaned, arching her back to drive him deeper.

He moved where she was on his lap, and he pushed upwards as she rested her head on his shoulder. He kept hitting her sweet spot, over and over, until she felt the fire building up inside her.

“Nick, I’m close, baby,” she moaned into his shoulder.

“Just let go for me, Elisa,” he whispered in her ear.

He pushed up, going deeper into her as she cried out his name. Her walls clenched to him as she came. Her nails dug into his shoulders as she did, and the tears overflowed as he held her close.

“Hey, did I hurt you?” he asked, looking at her, concerned.

“No, baby,” she said, kissing him.

“Why are you crying?”

“Because I didn’t think anyone could love someone this much,” she said.

Nick smiled and kissed her again. He was still inside her, and he adjusted to where she was under him.

“Neither did I. But now I think anything’s possible,” he said, brushing her hair out of her face.

“Really?”

“Mhm,” he said, moving inside her again. “You have no idea what you do to me, baby.”

And he continued to work his magic on her, until the incident of that afternoon was well forgotten.

____________________________________________________

Nick’s birthday came, which also happened to be Elisa’s mom’s wedding day. Of course, since the day she put Derek in jail, she was now public enemy number one where her mom was concerned. He was on probation, and had to pay a hefty fine. There was also a restraining order where he couldn’t come within 100 ft of Elisa or her property.

Elisa wasn’t concerned. She was focused on making tonight amazing for her boyfriend’s birthday.

Unfortunately, they couldn’t make love because Mother Nature had intervened. But she was cooking dinner for him, and then she was going to watch a scary movie with him.

She was cooking grilled chicken with sweet potatoes and fresh green beans, and she had ice cream in the freezer for dessert.

Nick showed up on time, and she greeted him with a lingering kiss.

“Happy birthday,” she said, smiling up at him. He smiled back and hugged her tightly.

“Thanks, baby,” he said, putting his stuff in her bedroom.

“Dinner’s almost finished,” she said, checking the beans.


“It smells good,” he said, nuzzling her neck as she stood at the stove.

“Mmm, baby, don’t, you know I can’t,” she said.

“Damn,” he said, kissing her cheek.

“Yeah, I know,” Elisa replied. “But I may give you a birthday present later. If you’re good.”

Nick raised an eyebrow and smirked.

“What does being good entail?” he asked.

“Well, no groping and teasing me on my off week,” she said, putting her hand on her hip.

“Damn. Okay,” he said as she made their plates.

They ate, and Nick loved it. It was definitely the best meal he’d had in a while.

Nick picked The Exorcist to watch, and if Elisa hated his decision, she didn’t let it show. Nick laid down on the couch and brought Elisa down to sit in between his legs. She pulled down a throw blanket to cover them as he hit play.

Halfway through the movie, Elisa decided to quit focusing on the TV, and she began to focus on Nick instead. She ran her hands up and down his legs, and she felt his body respond. Turning over, she captured his mouth with hers and kissed him as she unbuttoned his shirt and jeans. Freeing his dick, she ducked under the covers as she began to please him with her mouth.

“Oh, shit, Elisa,” he moaned, the movie forgotten. She nipped him a little with her teeth as her tongue went around the head, making him groan. He dug his nails into the couch as she continued, and soon, he was coming into her mouth. She took it all, and came out from under the blanket with a triumphant smile on her face.

He pulled her up and held her to his chest.

“That was the best birthday gift ever,” he murmured to her, stroking her hair. “Hell, I wish I could return the favor.”

“I’ll be fine, Nick. I wanted to do that, it’s been on my mind all day. I wanted to give the man I love a birthday gift he would never forget.”

Nick kissed her sweetly.

“Trust me, I’ll never forget it.”

____________________________

Elisa woke up in her bed alone. Worried that Nick had left without telling her, she got up and grabbed the coat he’d given her and wrapped it around her. She then went out to the living room.

He wasn’t in there, but she heard his voice and his guitar coming from the kitchen.

Elisa leaned against the doorway and listened. His back was to her.

He was playing and singing “Drowning,” one of her favorite songs. There were times he would just play it on the guitar, then he would just sing it, and then he’d do both.


'Cause everytime I breathe
I take you in
And my heart beats again
Baby I can't help it
You keep me
Drowning in your love
Everytime I try to rise above
I'm swept away by love
Baby I can't help it
You keep me
Drowning in your love

Maybe I'm a drifter
Maybe not
'Cause I have known the safety
Of floating freely
In your arms
I don't need another lifeline
It's not for me
'Cause only you can save me
Oh can't you see
I can't imagine life
Without your love
And even forever don't seem
Like long enough

'Cause every time I breathe
I take you in
And my heart beats again
Baby I can't help it
You keep me
Drowning in your love
Everytime I try to rise above
I'm swept away by love
Baby I can't help it
You keep me
Drowning in your love

Go on and pull me under
Cover me with dreams, yeah
Love me mouth to mouth now
You know I can't resist
'Cause you're the air
That I breathe

'Cause everytime I breathe
I take you in
And my heart beats again
Baby I can't help it
You keep me
Drowning in your love
Everytime I try to rise above
I'm swept away by love
And baby I can't help it
You keep me
Drowning your love

Baby I can't help it
Keep me drowning
In your love
I keep drowning
In your love
Baby I can't help it
Can't help it no, no

'Cause everytime I breathe
I take you in
And my heart beats again
Baby I can't help it
You keep me
Drowning in your love
Everytime I try to rise above
I'm swept away by love
Baby I can't help it
You keep me
Drowning in your love



Elisa wiped a few tears from her eyes. She’d never seen Nick so…vulnerable like this. She listened to his beautiful voice for a few more minutes until he finished the song. He started on another song, one that she knew as soon as she heard the chords.

“Another day is gone, I’m still all alone…”

“You Are Not Alone” was, without a doubt, Elisa’s all time favorite song. She hated people who covered it, but, listening to Nick playing and singing it, she realized she loved his version.

Without thinking, Elisa started to sing along with the chorus.


Nick heard Elisa’s sweet voice join in with his when he reached the second chorus. Smiling, he turned to see her standing in the doorway, smiling softly at him as she sang. Nodding to the chair across from him, he invited her to sit with him. She did as they finished the song together.

“I didn’t mean to wake you, I thought I was being quiet,” he said.

“You didn’t wake me. I woke up and you weren’t there, so I thought you had cut and run,” she admitted.

Nick kissed her hands.

“Never in a million years, baby.”

Elisa sighed.

“Why’d you wake up?” she asked.

“I have insomnia, some days it gets bad. I play my guitar and sing, it normally tires me out.”

“Oh,” she said. She didn’t know what to say to that.

Nick eyed her up and down, and smiled.

“You really look good in my clothes,” he said, his eyes growing heated.

“Don’t go there,” Elisa said, knowing that look.

“I’m just appreciating my sexy woman’s looks, that’s all.”

She blushed as he kissed her tenderly.

“Go back to bed, baby, I’ll be there soon. I promise.”

Elisa yawned and nodded.

Watching her go, he sighed. He strummed his guitar some more, but a hour later he realized he was drowsy.
He headed to Elisa’s bedroom, and smiled at her sleeping figure. She was cuddling a pillow and sleeping peacefully.

Nick gently eased his pillow out of her grasp, and pulled her to his chest. She stirred a little, but fell back asleep.

“I love you,” he whispered to her as he drifted off to sleep.